mycobacterium tuberculosis metabolism and host interaction: mysteries and paradoxes
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Metabolism is a widely recognized facet of all host-pathogen interactions. Knowledge of its roles in pathogenesis, however, remains comparatively incomplete. Existing studies have emphasized metabolism as a cell autonomous property of pathogens used to fuel replication in a quantitative, rather than qualitatively specific, manner. For Mycobacterium tuberculosis, however, matters could not be more different. M. tuberculosis is a chronic facultative intracellular pathogen that resides in humans as its only known host. Within humans, M. tuberculosis resides chiefly within the macrophage phagosome, the cell type, and compartment most committed to its eradication. M. tuberculosis has thus evolved its metabolic network to both maintain and propagate its survival as a species within a single host. The specific ways in which its metabolic network serves these distinct, through interdependent, functions, however, remain incompletely defined. Here, we review existing knowledge of the M. tuberculosis-host interaction, highlighting the distinct phases of its natural life cycle and the diverse microenvironments encountered therein.TRANSCRIPT
Look Inside Get AccessFind out how to access preview-only contentCurrent Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 2012,
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Metabolism and Host Interaction: Mysteries andParadoxesAbstractMetabolism is a widely recognized facet of all host–pathogen interactions. Knowledge of its roles in pathogenesis, however, remainscomparatively incomplete. Existing studies have emphasized metabolism as a cell autonomous property of pathogens used to fuel replication in aquantitative, rather than qualitatively specific, manner. For Mycobacterium tuberculosis, however, matters could not be more different. M.tuberculosis is a chronic facultative intracellular pathogen that resides in humans as its only known host. Within humans, M. tuberculosis resideschiefly within the macrophage phagosome, the cell type, and compartment most committed to its eradication. M. tuberculosis has thus evolved itsmetabolic network to both maintain and propagate its survival as a species within a single host. The specific ways in which its metabolic networkserves these distinct, through interdependent, functions, however, remain incompletely defined. Here, we review existing knowledge of the M.tuberculosis–host interaction, highlighting the distinct phases of its natural life cycle and the diverse microenvironments encountered therein.
Within this ChapterIntroduction1.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Host Niche: Down the Rabbit Hole2.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Looking Glass: Current Gaps in Knowledge3.
Concluding Remarks4.
References5.
References6.
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About this Chapter
TitleMycobacterium Tuberculosis Metabolism and Host Interaction: Mysteries and Paradoxes
Book TitleCopyright
2012DOI
10.1007/82_2012_299Series Title
Current Topics in Microbiology and ImmunologySeries ISSN
0070-217XPublisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Authors
Sabine Ehrt (1)
Kyu Rhee (2)
Author Affiliations
1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
2. Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
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Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Metabolism and Host Interaction: Mysteri... http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/82_2012_299
2 of 2 02/02/2013 12:28 PM